The Sabah state government does not intend to close down pig farms in the state following the outbreak of the AH1N1 fluoutbreak which is becoming more serious.

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The state minister of agriculture and food industry Datuk Yahya Hussin said pig farms would only be closed if they did not meet the conditions and standards stipulated.

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According to news reports, Yahya said that since the outbreak of the virus in April, his ministry, via the Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry Department, had taken measures to ensure that pig farms in the state did not carry the virus.

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He said among the measures taken were taking blood samples and 'nasal swabs' from the pigs for analyses.

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A total of 1,411 samples of 'nasal swabs' and 1,371 blood samples had been taken from 63 pig farms in the state and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

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He added that clinical observations are also being carried out in all districts where no positive cases were found among the pigs and workers at the farms.